Top stress tolerant OSR to be launched at Cereals 2024

The ability to perform consistently under the toughest conditions is a standout feature of the latest high-reliability Dekalb hybrid oilseed rape to be launched by Bayer at this Cereals 2024.

Out-performing every other Dekalb hybrid bar one in both the higher output 2022 season and the much more challenging season of 2023, DK Excentric delivered gross output-topping performances on the four most demanding sites in the two-year trial series – a clear demonstration of its superior environmental stress tolerance.

Overall, it is the top-performing UK variety to emerge from Bayer’s precision breeding programme, with an average gross output of 5.11t/ha in two years of NIAB and Scottish Agronomy trials, delivered by a winning combination of above-average yields and oil contents in excess of 45%.

Performing strongly against key standards in replicated trials in both Scotland and southern England last season despite their very different production environments (Figure 1), DK Excentric showed itself equally resilient in field-scale strip trials on northern farms in 2023.

DK Excentric brings together an excellent combination of characters and growth habit for early planting yet has the flexibility for sowing well into September should soil, pest or weather conditions necessitate a change in drilling plans.

“Whether for drilling early or into September, DK Excentric is going to be one of the best fits, because it is so flexible in terms of drilling date,” says Bayer seed specialist Sarah Bebb.

“In our trials in Scotland and down into both the East and the West, its performance has been very consistent. It has performed equally well, as either the top-yielding variety or close to the top at almost every site.

“Scoring of 12 field-scale strip trials in our National Hybrid Proving Programme this season shows DK Excentric to be almost as vigorous to establish and fast to develop as current Dekalb favourites on farm. Rapid spring regrowth without excessive earliness means it is well set up to deliver the strong restart needed to compensate for overwinter damage.

“The variety’s across-the-board agronomic strengths include an 8 for stem stiffness and 9 for resistance to lodging for the greatest management flexibility, while an excellent stress tolerance package includes good resistance to light leaf spot, phoma stem canker and TuYV.”

Latest ADAS stem health trials further show DK Excentric has good tolerance to verticillium wilt, together with low levels of premature pod ripening.

Like all Ex hybrids, the new variety provides OSR growers with the assurance of the core Dekalb yield-protecting traits: vigorous establishment; rapid autumn development double phoma resistance; strong standing power and proven pod-shatter resistance.

United Oilseeds commercial and seed manager, Beckii Gibbs stresses that it’s hard to find anything not to like about DK Excentric. “It has all the traits a grower could need including double phoma, TuYV and pod shatter resistance coupled with vigorous establishment and rapid autumn development,” she says. “With its higher-than-average oil content helping to maximise gross output we’re very pleased to add DK Excentric to our leading OSR portfolio for 2024. “Both replicated plot trials and field-scale testing in Bayer’s comprehensive proving programme suggest the variety is an excellent complement to Aurelia which is what our growers need for the best OSR-growing balance.” Figure 1: DK Excentric performance in 2023 Replicated Trials

*NIAB, OAT & Scottish Agronomy Replicated Trials Data 2022 & 2023 – 14 varieties, 8 sites